Technology for the rest of us: Ultra Mobile PCs

Technology is getting more and more complex, but at the same time, amazing technological benefits are available to us average Joes without too much fiddling around. That is what this column will be covering.

Every Monday, right here on WalletPop, I'll feature an easy-to-use hack, gadget or service that can really make your life better, save time, or save money. Geeks, technophiles and early adopters have plenty of other places to look for hot new technologies to try. Here you'll find technology for the rest of us.

I've been intrigued with tiny, yet functional, laptops ever since I first spotted a women pulling one out of her purse and thought, "Hey! That would easily fit in my coat pocket. How convenient!" Well, that is, until I saw the price.

But that doesn't have to stop you. There are some very affordable mobile devices out there this year, and if you really lust after a device that is not going to require a visit to the chiropractor after a long walk, you can probably afford one.

Why the UMPC is about to rock out:

The Ultra-Mobile PC (or UMPC) is nothing new. A small form factor laptop, it fills the gray area somewhere between hopped up smartphones and full featured laptops. The screen is usually smaller than 7 inches (compared with 12 inches and up for most standard laptops), resulting in a laptop with its width somewhere between a sheet of paper and a DVD case.